Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

The course aims to provide students with knowledge and skills to evaluate various learning and working environments and how they support learning. The course will challenge students to consider inclusive and ethical assessment for learning as part of the learning process where feedback and feedforward play an important role.

After completing the course, the student will be able to:

- describe and evaluate various learning and working environments and how they support learning
- demonstrate a knowledge of learning theories and how they apply in practice
- reflect on and analyse their own practical theory for teaching
- explain how assessment can be inclusive, ethical and a meaningful learning experience
- use peer and self-assessment efficiently and effectively

Content (course unit)

Learning environments and working culture.
Contemporary learning theories
Practical theory of teaching and learning
Assessment for, of and as learning
SOLO and Bloom’s taxonomies

Prerequisites (course unit)

None

Further information (course unit)

None

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

The students describe learning and working environments applying one or two key concepts. The students reflect on their practical theories for teaching with reference to one or two theories. The students can explain some key concepts of assessment but describe their assessment methods without theoretical justifications. The students make use of appropriate learning and assessment literature but mainly paraphrases the authors’ ideas. The students participate actively in collaborative learning by giving and receiving feedback.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

The students describe and evaluate multiple aspects of learning and working environments and how they support learning applying concepts from contemporary learning theories. The students reflect on and analyse their practical theories for teaching and make some connections between different learning theories. The students are acquainted with the key concepts of assessment and use them in self-assessment and to justify their own argumentations. The students show evidence of engaging with the course literature and some sources researched by themselves. The students take responsibility for their own learning and contribute to collaborative learning process and use feedback systematically to improve own work as well as the work of others using different media.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The students connect aspects and viewpoints of contemporary learning theories in their evaluation of learning and working environments in novel ways. The students critically reflect on and analyse their practical theories for teaching with references to course literature and sources searched by themselves. The students approach assessment with innovative thinking drawing on their own experiences and relevant literature. The students show evidence of wide reading and reflective approach in their demonstration of learning. The students participate actively in collaborative knowledge building by sharing expertise, using feedback and feedforward systematically and applying different media.

Location and time

Online

Exam schedules

Assessment is not in the form of exams.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Students will be working individually, in pairs and in small groups creating an online learning community.
One intensive week face to face, otherwise online.
Teaching strategies will include readings, discussion, facilitation, group and individual work, synchronous and asynchronous. Active participation and collaboration will be essential. Students will be expected to demonstrate their learning by presenting work in writing, visually, and orally

Learning materials

Learning materials and recommended literature:
Set boos:
1. Jonassen, D. & Land, S. (Eds). 2012. Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments. New York and London: Routledge. Avaialble online through TAMK library:
https://libproxy.tuni.fi/login?url=https://www.dawsonera.com/abstract/9780203813799
2.Illeris, K. (ed.) 2018. Contemporary theories of learning: learning theorists...in their own words
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group 2018. Second edition
More materials will be recommended and provided online in the Tabula LMS and are expected to be supplemented by the student’s own research and inquiry based learning.

Student workload

Student's use of time and work load: 5 cr = 133 hours of student work. Out of that approximately 20 h of synchronous contact with the facilitator and 113 hours of independent study in small groups.

Content scheduling

Contemporary learning theories
Operating cultures
Assessment

Practical training and working life cooperation

Practice and cooperation with working life: all tasks will be related to the participants' working environments incorporating authentic assessment and applying theory to practice.

International connections

International connections: participants are drawn from diverse cultural and national backgrounds and their experiences will feed into the learning of the whole cohort

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student describes theoretical knowledge and experiential knowledge and observations separately. The discussion is shallow, presents disconnected facts and/or paraphrases literature.
The student does not participate in the group processes actively and does not follow the instructions.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student can discuss his/her own experiences and observations in light of contemporary learning theories but the discussion is shallow, or focuses on one aspect/viewpoint regarding learning environments and operating cultures and their contribution to learning. The student makes use of appropriate learning and assessment literature but mainly paraphrases others’ ideas. The student can participate actively in collaborative learning by giving and receiving feedback.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student discusses multiple aspects/viewpoints of learning theories and assessment and makes some connections between them. He/she uses learning theory and assessment related references to show understanding of different views in the field but also to support their own position and argumentation. The student is acquainted with the key concepts in the field of learning theories and assessment and uses them to justify their own argumentation. The student takes responsibility for their own learning and contributes to a collaborative learning process and uses feedback systematically to improve own work as well as the work of others with different media.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student connects aspects and viewpoints of learning theories and assessment in novel ways and extends the discussion beyond the expected. The student makes his/her own opinions about learning theories and assessment very clear and builds their case with the help of relevant references.The student has a strong understanding of different learning theories and assessment methods. He/she shows evidence of wide reading from many sources, including those researched by themselves. The student approaches the topic of learning theories and assessment with sophisticated analysis or innovative thinking. He/she participates actively in collaborative learning process by sharing expertise, searching for information and collaboratively creating knowledge with different media.